Search - Postmen in the Mountains on DVD

A dog is surely a postman's best friend

Joseph Haschka | Glendale, CA USA | 01/27/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A Chinese postman (Teng Rujun) has been walking his rural route for decades, accompanied only by his faithful German shepherd, Lao're (himself), whose barking announces their arrival in the villages and, presumably, noses out the dodgy spots in the trail. Now in his forties, the postman's legs are giving out, partly because of the frigid rivers he must ford on his appointed rounds. Cognizant of the great trust and responsibility of his duties, he prevails on the local Communist Party Secretary to assign the mail route to his own teenage son (Liu Ye).

As POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS begins, the son is about to depart with the mail on his first traverse of the 3-day, 75-mile delivery hike into the mountains aided by a map hand-drawn by Ol' Dad. Lao're, however, knowing on which side his doggy treat is buttered, declines to lope along. So, the just-retired postman decides to trudge the route one last time to show his boy the ropes and prevail upon Lao're to accept a new master.

POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAIN is an extremely gentle, almost somnolent, film about the transfer of wisdom, knowledge, and a sense of responsibility from one generation to the next. The film has no special FX, crime, violence, sex, chases, surprise ending, or any of the usual Big Screen gimmicks to draw in the sweaty masses. Only gorgeous rural scenery and a father and son, who are virtual strangers, getting to know and appreciate one another for the first time in their lives.

POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS is made even more beautiful by several silent, flashback vignettes. As the father observes his son dancing with a lovely mountain girl (Chen Hao) at one of their evening stops, he remembers the first time he met his wife, also a hill dweller. As the younger man carries his father across a swift river, the older man tearfully recalls the time he bore his son on his own back through their home village's marketplace. And as this, his last journey, approaches its end, the father envisions homecomings of times past when he joyfully ran to meet his young wife, their growing son at her side. For his own part, the teenager mainly remembers the long times his father was away, and the fearful anticipation of the return of the man he barely knew while growing up. This is poignant stuff.

I'd award five stars except for the positively wretched English subtitles, which were often badly translated or only on screen for the briefest of moments. Moreover, displayed in white in a poorly selected font, they were sometimes almost invisible against pale backgrounds. If you can imagine, they looked like they'd been typed directly onto the film negative with a cheap typewriter. This was a great distraction.

POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS is a film not for everyone. But for any man that perhaps regrets not having had a close father/son relationship, this movie may touch the heart."

Simple but touching

Irving Kuo | North Little Rock, AR USA | 10/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great film, surprisingly simple story of the changing relationship between a father and son. Wonderful acting. No special effects, no extra pizzazz. Just a wonderful storyline and a tale that unravels slowly but beautifully."

Gorgeous, honest, moving

Jean E. Pouliot | Newburyport, MA United States | 07/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Father" is a forty-something postman whose bad knees are forcing him to give up his 60-kilometer postal route through the mountains of China. His 20-something son is a natural to take on the job, but does not want to accept the responsibility. He is resentful that his father's job took him away for such long periods. Still, the son consents to accompany his father on his last route. The route is arduous, but stunningly beautiful. Soon, Father and Son, accompanied by Father's faithful dog, are stopping into villages to deliver and pick up mail. Son sees that Father is a local hero, whose work -- bringing news from far away loved ones, knits families. Father and Son attend weddings and speak to the locals, and Son begins to see his father in an entirely different light. In one especially moving scene, the retiring postman reads a letter to a blind grandmother whose grandson is off to the city. The grandson wrote a very unflattering letter, but the postman re-reads it according to sentiments he knows the old woman wants and needs to hear.

The story is simple and moving, and the scenery is lush and wonderful. "Postmen in the Mountains" is a beautiful film that illumines the life of ordinary Chinese as well as the capacity of the human heart for compassion."

Gorgeous Parable of the Transfer of Wisdom through Generatio

Gerard D. Launay | Berkeley, California | 05/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This little known film is a beautiful set piece about journeys and wisdom.
An aging post delivery man in rural China has arranged for his growing son to replace him as the rural postmen on a grueling 200 mile route through mountains, lakes, and hills to remote villages in China. Before he allows his son to take the route himself, the older father joins his son to show him the way - not just the route - but the way...such as special tasks that he does for some of the disabled villagers or techniquest to ford cold rivers.

There are many exquisite moments in this film...the reason for the 5 stars...and the father and son learn many new things about each other in this journey of self-discovery. Though subtitled, it is a film for the young and old alike. A very good pick."